G E N E R A L

1. These bylaws were approved by consensus on March 22, 2003.

2. The Lehigh Valley Coed Recreational Softball League will play softball in accordance with the Official Softball Playing Rules of the Amateur Softball Association of America. Each team coach is responsible for obtaining a copy of the rules for the current year and having them available at every game so that problems or questions arising during the game can be resolved immediately by the coaches. This is a no protest league. League bylaws override any conflicting ASA rules.

3. This is a recreational league whose purpose is to have fun. Fighting and arguing calls will not be tolerated. Any other actions detracting from this purpose will not be tolerated either.

4. Any team not following League bylaws and ASA rules can be subject to ejection from the league. If a complaint is received about a team, the team will receive a warning. Any team, which consistently does not follow the rules, will be ejected from the league. A team can be ejected from the league by a majority vote of all other team coaches.

O R G A N I Z A T I O N

5. The coach of the winning team is responsible for calling in or emailing the game results, including scores and postponements, to the captain selected at the captains’ meeting, within 24 hours so that league standings can be maintained all season.

6. All coaches must submit the $ 50.00 registration fee to the captain selected at the captains’ meeting by May 31, 2003. The funds will be used to purchase trophies and fields for the tournament. DO NOT BE LATE!!!

7. Please make check payable to the captain selected at the captains’ meeting.

8. Home team supplies bases, foul line markers, home plate mat, home plate if necessary, pitching rubber, and the game ball, which must be a new, restricted flight, DUDLEY SB12LRF (.47 COR). For home teams that do not have their own field, the team “owning” the field will supply the equipment, if necessary, but not the game ball. It is the home team’s responsibility to repair major damage to a field prior to game time, but both teams shall share general field prep equally.

E L I G I B L I L I T Y

9. Team members are employees and immediate family members, to include spouse, siblings, children (within reason), girlfriend/boyfriend, and close friends (within reason).

10. Players MUST read and understand the league bylaws prior to the start of the season.

11. Players are responsible for providing their own insurance coverage.

12. To be eligible to play in the league tournament or post-season playoffs, a team cannot forfeit 4 games in the regular season. A team that forfeits 4 regular season games will not be entitled to a refund of any kind.

S A F E T Y

13. Metal spikes are prohibited. If you wear metal spikes during the game, you will be immediately ejected and cannot play for the remainder of the game.

14. Bats exceeding 1.20 BPF are not allowed. Bats that are not marked or cannot be verified to comply may be used only at the discretion of the opposing coach.

15. Pitchers must have one foot touching the rubber when the pitch is released from the hand.

16. FIGHTING IS PROHIBITED. Any player involved in a fight will be ejected from the current game and suspended for:

• one game for the first offense
• remainder of the season and the tournament for the second offense
• permanently banned from the league for the third offense

17. No collisions are allowed on the base paths. Fielders are not allowed to block bases or base paths. Fielders not actively fielding a ball must yield the base to the runner upon request. Runners approaching bases where the fielder is actively fielding a ball should give up or slide as safely as possible. Sliding which in anyway endangers a fielder will not be tolerated and will result in ejection from the game.

18. First Basemen must not place their feet on top of the base. First Basemen must keep their feet on the inside edge of the bag. First Basemen cannot cross the firstbase-line unless the ball has crossed the line, or is obviously destined for over the line.

G A M E S

19. All games will start no later than 6:15 p.m. There is a 15 minute grace period. Both teams must share time available for batting practice prior to the game.

20. Games postponement due to weather must be decided by the coaches involved prior to 3:00 p.m. of the game day. If the weather or field conditions are questionable, both teams must report to the field and a decision to play will be made at that time.

21. Makeup games will be scheduled by the league. The home field coach must report cancellations and postponements.

22. Measuring the field for set up will be as follows: Front tip of pitching rubber is 45 feet from the back point of home plate; the back edge of the base is 60 feet from back point of home plate.

23. Players arriving after the game starts cannot begin to play until the next top of the inning, and will be added to the bottom of the batting order. If short, there are 3 options:

• play short, until additional players arrive (if shy a woman, see next by-law)
• accept a opposing team players, at coaches discretion
• forfeit the game

24. EACH TEAM MUST FIELD THREE (3) WOMEN. In the event that a team only has two (2) women, they may:

• play the game with only nine (9) players on the field (see next by-law for batting line-up)
• forfeit the game

25. Batting line-ups must contain at least 10 players. There is no maximum.

• Free same gender substitution is allowed
• No more than 7 men can bat in a row
• See next rule if you have less than 3 women playing

26. If only two (2) women are playing, you can only have 9 batters. When the third woman arrives, you can only have 10 batters. Until the third woman arrives you have three (3) options:

• one women bats twice in the line-up
• two women alternate in the third spot
• the batting team can take an automatic out in the third spot

27. Any team consistently not playing three (3) women may be subject to suspension or ejection from the league. If a team forfeits, coaches can choose to scrimmage.

U M P I R I N G

28. Umpires are responsible to make ALL calls. First base coach calls plays at first base and second base. Third base coach calls plays at third base and second. A person supplied by the batting team will umpire and call balls, strikes, fouls and home plate from behind the batter.

29. A ball and strike will be determined by using a regulation size mat, which will be placed behind home plate. If the ball hits the mat or home plate it is a strike; if the ball does not hit the mat or home plate, it is a ball. A ball that hits the black angled edge of the home plate is a strike. The mat must be regulation size, but can be made of variety of materials. A close call will go to the batter, but will be determined by the umpire.

30. There will be no arguing any calls; we must remember this is a fun league and that a close call must go the to batter or runner.

P I T C H I N G

31. Required slow pitch will have a minimum arc of six (6) feet and a maximum arc of twelve (12) feet (height above ground at home plate). If a pitch does not meet the above height restrictions, the umpire will state “NO PITCH” and call a BALL. If the batter swings anyway, it’s a live ball, whether it is a strike, foul or fair.

32. There are no foul-outs. Each inning is limited to two (2) walks per pitcher. After the second walk, the umpire will call only strikes, unless the pitcher is replaced. If the pitcher is replaced, the new pitcher will then again be allowed to have two (2) walks that inning. In addition, the new pitcher will receive 5 warm-ups.

33. If a pitcher chooses to intentionally walk a batter, the pitcher can inform the batter to proceed to the base. The pitcher is not required to pitch to the batter.

R U N N I N G

34. No leaving the base before the ball is hit. Each team will receive one warning for leaving the base, on the second offense the runner will be called “Out”.

35. Same-gender pinch running is allowed for any reason. The pinch runner will be the last same-gender to have made an out.